[Rye]

Opinions? Being a Wings fan I'm glad to see Yzerman, Draper and Maltby were all named to the team. If nothing else they can go out and play on the third of fourth line and kill penalties.

Being a Leaf hater I'm glad Nolan, Nieuwendyk and McCabe didn't make the team. Nolan and Nieuwendyk would probably end up being too injured to play after two or three games and McCabe showed how liable he was defensively when he has to play 25+ minutes a game against a team like Philly.

All and all I was pretty happy with the roster...still think Bertuzzi will find his way onto the team some how, especially since Mario wants him there. I'm a bit surprised Brendan Morrisson wasn't named to the team since they're going with so many young guys. Brendan Morrow surprised me a bit, since they had already taken four checkers (Doan, Maltby, Draper and you could include Yzerman in there).

Anyways, I think Canada is a huge favourite going in as every other team has question makes (Sweden and USA have no goaltending, the Russians and Czeck's have poor defence).

[Stephen Dame]

Keith Primeau and Vinnie Lecalvier should have made the team ahead of Mario and Stevie Y in my opinion. Sure, both those guys are valuable in the locker room, but this isn't a bunch of young talents, we're talking hardened pro's here... I think current talent should have trumped legacy.

...And I'm a huge Mario fan, so I hope he proves me wrong... and that his back holds up.

I hope we crush the Swedes en route to meeting and beating the Americans in the final.

[thedarkcanuck]

mario is like wayne...if he wants to play,he`s going to play. i think legacy holds alot of clout and so it should. i don`t want to debate this, but i think mario is the most talented all around player who ever laced up the blades

[MikeS]

A lot can happen between now and the end of August...

It's highly unlikely every player named will be able to play...I imagine they have a short "1A" list of players including Primeau, Lecavalier, Tanguay and Bouwmeester who have been told as much so they can stay in top shape should they be needed...Ken Hitchcock admitted as much in the paper today in regards to Primeau's exclusion:

"I'm sure there's going to be some injuries or no-shows and Keith is going to get a strong consideration," said the Flyers coach."

Regardless, I like the picks...a good mix of youth/age and size/speed at every position...should be a fun tourney...

M.

[thedarkcanuck]

i also agree that primeau should be there...he is playing as well as anybody if not better in these playoffs

[Stephen Dame]

mario is like wayne...if he wants to play,he`s going to play. i think legacy holds alot of clout and so it should. i don`t want to debate this, but i think mario is the most talented all around player who ever laced up the blades

A statement like that and you DON'T wanna debate it?

I love the guy, but numbers are numbers and so are stamina and longevity and the ability to consistantly play at the elite level. Even if he hadn't been fallen by Hodgkins, I don't think he could be considered the greatest of all time. Top Five? No Doubt. But, I'd put Gretz, Orr and Richard ahead of him...

[thedarkcanuck]

i`ve argued this countless times with too many people i can count and i have learned this much...everyone has their opinions and beliefs and there is nothing you can do to change them...so we just agree to disagree and avoid a whole lot of typing o.k.?

[Rye]

Lemieux is a good pick because it's a short tournament...it's not like he has to perform over an 82 game schedule for Canada to win.

As for the exclusions of Lecavalier and Primeau...Primeau hadn't done anything until the playoffs this year...never won a Cup and has underachieved up until now. The reason Detroit won three Cups is because they traded him for Shanny...and Lecavalier seems to go through lenghty slumps (see round one of the playoffs).

[vicariousmartyr]

where can you get ahold of the roster list?

[vicariousmartyr]

nevermind, i got it.....i enjoy the fact that ed belfour is the only Leaf to make the team, and in all likelihood he wont play a single game

[chris]

Here's the roster: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/world_cup_hockey/feature.asp?fid=9290">http://www.tsn.ca/world_cup_hockey/feature.asp?fid=9290</a><!-- m -->

So who's going to any of the games? I got a 5 game package at The Air Canada Centre - Section 308, Row 9, Seats 1 & 2. Woo Hoo!!!!

[mrlayance]

Not sure why they picked Kirk Maltby, does he have international experience?

[MikeS]

Maltby and Draper were both part of the 2003 gold medal-winning team at the World Championships...

That said, I don't think "international experience" is really going to matter much in this tourney...it's basically a glorified NHL all-star tourney, played in NHL rinks (for the most part) under the control of NHL officials...

Under these conditions, grinders like Maltby and Draper are a valuable commodity...

M.

[farmerdan]

i'm pretty shocked about who didnt make the team ie kariya, shannahan and how they could leave rick nash off the team is beyond me....did they not see the year he had?? you know he's gonna be representing canada for the next 10-15 years, why not get his feet wet

[MikeS]

I think if Nash was able to play in the World Championships, he might have been able to play his way onto this team. Hockey Canada has clearly been using the Worlds as a "proving ground" for young players over the past few years.

Unfortunately for Nash (who underwent throat surgery last month), he didn't get a chance to show what he could do against top-flight international competition. That, his age (remember the kid's only 19!), and the fact he hasn't played a single playoff game at the NHL level, probably worked against him when comparisons were being made to the likes of Gagne and Richards...

As you said, he'll get lots of opportunities to wear the red, white and black in the future, but I just don't think this is the sort of tourney (with the finals under the microscope in Toronto) that lends itself to allowing players to "get their feet wet"...

M.